Greater Los Angeles Chapter
 
Home | Events | LA Chapter | What is HD | Resources | Volunteer | Contact Us


 

 

 
 
 
 
 

WHAT IS HD?

What is HD?
Huntington's Disease is a progressive degenerative neurological disease that causes total physical and mental deterioration over a 12-15 year period. Every person who has HD is born healthy and lives normal lives until symptoms set in. Oftentimes symptoms don't manifest themselves until the person is middle-age, after having children and passing the gene. However, with more HD repeats in the DNA sequence, symptoms can now begin at younger and younger ages -- even in pre-teens.
 

What are HD symptoms?
Symptoms usually evolve slowly, vary from person to person, even within the same family.  Some individuals may be affected first cognitively (depression, forgetfulness, impaired judgment.) Others suffer with motor skill impairment (dystonia or involuntary movements, unsteady gait). Eventually, every person afflicted by HD requires full-time care.

Domains affected include: cognitive, motor and behavioral. Members of the same family may exhibit different symptoms. Some can show mild involuntary movements (chorea) and have more emotional/behavioral symptoms of HD or can have less emotional/behavioral symptoms with more difficulty with involuntary movements.
 

    Behavioral

  • Irritability
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Aggressive outbursts
  • Mood swings
  • Social withdrawal

    Motor

  • Fidgety behavior
  • Uncoordination
  • Involuntary movements (chorea, dystonia)
  • Difficulties with speech, swallowing, balance
Cognitive
Problems with short-term memory, organizing, coping, concentrating.
 
How common is HD?
There are approximately 30,000 patients and 200,000 genetically "at risk" individuals in the U.S. alone. It is considered one of the more common hereditary diseases. HD is as common as cystic fibrosis, ALS and Parkinson's Disease - but not as well known, nor as well supported in the community. That is what we want to change.